


But I Will Fly

by CreepyLittleLullaby



Series: Fly Without Wings [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Cuban Lance (Voltron), Drowning, Homesick Lance (Voltron), Hurt Lance (Voltron), Insecure Lance (Voltron), Lance (Voltron) Whump, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Lance (Voltron)-centric, Langst, M/M, Major Character Injury, Multi, Pansexual Lance (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Torture, Wingfic, wingless Lance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-12-15 09:03:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11802855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CreepyLittleLullaby/pseuds/CreepyLittleLullaby
Summary: Welcome to the finale of He Clipped My Wings! My tumblr is 'iamtheyaoiqueen'! Feel free to leave me a message, but above all else! Please enjoy!





	But I Will Fly

Lance didn’t know where he was, it almost felt like he was floating. Like when he’d sneak into the ocean of his home and despite his mother’s warnings, let his head slip beneath the surface. It was just irresistible. The way the ocean would flutter on its surface, rippling the streams of light that braved the waves and light up its depths. The colorful fish that would swim past him. Unafraid of the foreign visited. The color of the water was the color of his wings. He felt at home in the ocean.

He wondered if the ocean still wanted him. He wasn’t himself anymore.

He was nobody.

“What the fuck do you mean they did this to him?!” Murmurs beside the yelling, the voices sounded familiar. Not extremely familiar, but, it felt like he had known them at least for a small while. Though, it wasn’t the low emotionless grumbles of his crewmates. They could never sound. So, upset. Especially over him.

“How could anyone do this to someone! How didn’t we know? We just fucking saw him a month ago before this! I’m going to fucking kill the son of a bitch who fucking dared to touch his wings. Lotor? Lotor. Good. He’s as good as dead. Shiro. You’re helping me.” A slightly louder murmur.

“No, I don’t care. Shiro is helping me. Shiro. Shiro. Get your bayard.” A weird rumbling sound. “Blue, I call him. No. I don’t care. You can hold him down then I call killing him!” Lance didn’t know why, but he almost felt like laughing. Which was a weird feeling. The weirder feeling was of his body. Nothing was hurting. Not even his back. A part of him wondered if it was a dream. Getting them removed.

Until he felt the muscle in his back flex. Revealing a dull ache, but not a single ruffle of feathers. No protruding bones from his wings anymore. They were fully gone. Probably why it wasn’t hurting as bad, but it hurt Lance a little deeper when he realized they had to remove even the last remnants of his wings besides his pieces of jewelry. Until there was this feeling in the back of his mind. A purring reassurance that soothed the slight stab of pain Lance felt. He didn’t know what it was. It felt like the warmest wing hug in the world though. Making him feel soft, fuzzy, and safe.

Lance didn’t realize how much he craved that feeling until he had it.

There was a clicking sound, and the odd releasing of air and he wasn’t floating anymore, his legs stumbled on the floor and was surprised as he fell to his knees and was immediately grabbed. Though, by something less than human.

It was obvious to state that the lion on his lap and wrapping its legs around his shoulders and purring almost as loud as the ships he used to fly. Was a little bit of a shock as Lance froze. Just sitting there and letting the predator nuzzle and lick his skin as if he were its cub. Lance settled down after the initial surprise however, his arms settling around the lion in a pseudo hug. Its purring was like that sound in the back of his mind. Lance didn’t think the feline was going to attack him.

There were footsteps stepping closer, making the lioness pull back a little and growl lowly, until Lance gently ran his hand through the fur of her shoulder blades. Looking up and smiling at Shiro who was checking him over in concern with a sheepish smile.

“Sorry, we didn’t really know how to reign her in.” Lance gave a smile, gently scratching her shoulder blades making her purr and settle docilly at his side. Rolling over and exposing her stomach for Lance to rub and lather her in attention making Lance chuckle.

“It’s okay, I have a German Shepherd named Sophia at home. She’s my pretty lady, but very clingy and rambunctious. I don’t mind. Besides, this one is being a sweetie, aren’t you?” The lioness purred loudly at the praise, making Shiro pause and Keith snort from behind Shiro, gaining Lance’s attention. A similar lion was at Keith’s side, only this lion was red. It was pretty, but something kept pulling him to the blue one.

There was a small chuff that sounded almost haughty as Lance tried to go through in his head what was so different that made him feel so safe around one animal compared to the other. Another feeling blossomed in the back of his mind. A possessive feeling and the feeling you get when you finally got home after a long time of longing to go home. The rushing relief and happiness. The message was clear, the blue lion had been looking for him, for some reason that was beyond Lance. But Blue had been searching for him. He was Blue’s.

Shiro gave Lance another smile, “Would you like me to show you around?” Lance gave a weak smile and nodded. Pulling away from the lion and not being surprised as Blue as he had dubbed her sprang up to immediately press to his still slightly shaky legs. Shiro and Keith flanked his other side and the red lion pattered up to the blue lion with pure black lion. Blue stuck to his side like glue however.

Keith gently nudged Lance’s hip with an arm that was snaked around Shiro’s waist, Lance looked up and he swore his jaw dropped. The room was so big and bright. Light greys and whites, it looked so, lively. Compared to the dim and dark greys, blacks, and purples of his old ship that Lance had learned was a bitch to clean. There were two people messing with mechanical parts on a table in the middle of the room. One looked up, the larger male with dark skin and a bright smile. He waved. Shiro spoke this time.

“That’s Hunk who’s waving, and the gremlin beside him is Pidge, those two are the yellow and green paladins.” Shiro gave a wave and a smile before leading Lance and Keith out the door into some of the other rooms. Seeing the training rooms and library, and so many other rooms that Lance’s head was spinning as they ended back in the medical bay. Lance wasn’t completely sure how, but by the end of the tour he was sandwiched between Shiro and Keith, their wings wavering over him in worry as he swayed. Blue was making concerned noises behind him and whining, pressing feelings into his mind. Telling him to go rest and not to strain himself. He smiled at her, reassuring him that it wasn’t bad. He was just getting used to the place and was a little disorientated. Which was true. He’d never seen a place so bright in a long time. It was nice, but also a little overwhelming though Lance wouldn’t admit just how much the quiet med bay with the low lighted evening setting was a relief. Relaxing and sitting on the medical cot with Keith and Shiro as they explained their group, what they did, and how Lance himself was a paladin.

That was probably the most overwhelming part of the whole day. It was great news! Though, Lance still had some crawling thoughts in his mind. Sneers and laughs of his ex-crew members echoing in his head. The feeling of feathers brushing the back of his neck however, warm, real, and reassuring pressed those thoughts back into the dark pits of his mind. Unreachable. Lance decided to just enjoy the calm with Blue and the two men beside him. Not worry about what being a paladin entitled. Just chatting quietly and letting himself be leaned against Keith’s chest, his legs maneuvered on Shiro’s lap as they chatted. Lance’s head drooping little by little until he was embraced by the dark grip of sleep.

—

The next days, ran similarly, very calm. The only different being that Lance was interacting with the whole group. Having breakfast and chatting with them all. Cleaning the pods and chatting with Coran as the others trained together. Playing and bonding with Blue. Doing bonding exercises with the team. Until Coran freed him to do training after a few days of observation.

That’s when Lance was less fine. Not in the physical sense. Well. A little. He wasn’t as in shape as he once was since being a janitor didn’t really require much strain, nor did it do good for his nutritional value. Then there was the fact of him being… wingless. That was rather useless for any flying exercises they could do. So far Lance had combatted that by being the sharpshooter and sniper of the group. Staying on the ground and shooting the drones down from underneath them. Covering them from a distance.

It made Lance a little nervous to shoot anything extremely close to them, afraid he’d shoot them. But his father’s words of trusting his instincts always made him shoot, and every time, the shots would ring true and he would have covered his team. Hah. His team. That was a good feeling.

Though, it didn’t completely combat the uselessness and hopeless dark thoughts that crawled up to grab him. Or the nightmares that clawed at him mind when he’d close his eyes, the crawling of his skin. The burning pain in phantom wings that weren’t there. But god if the pain was as if they were being ripped from him all over again. Waking him only after the agonizing sensation was over and he felt the emptiness fill him up again. Sometimes Lance felt as if he wings were there. A tingling numbness as if they had simply fallen asleep and were still there.

That feeling always scared the shit out of Lance because he knew it wasn’t true. Coran assured him that that was normal for someone who was suffering from the loss of a limb or limbs. Didn’t mean it still scared Lance when he felt the tingling sensation, or a sudden cold, like his wings were chilled and wanted to be pulled against his back.

He never said anything though, he’d grown to love Blue and the team as if they were his own family back on earth, and he’d do anything for them. He needed to be strong to support them, smile and brighten their spirits. He couldn’t worry them about him being a little insecure.

Not to mention, Lance couldn’t help the small feeling in the back of his mind that offered the advice that if he spoke how he was feeling out loud that the team would see it too. The uselessness of someone without wings on their team. And they’d boot him off at the next planet and tell him to figure out his own way home. Cause they were too nice to toss him out the airlock like Lance almost wondered if he deserved.

No, there wasn’t any time for thoughts like that, this was his life, and he had to deal with that now. He was happy with his team. He loved Blue. He just hated himself while he loved them. Some more than others…

Lance was not oblivious, he saw where his gaze would wonder. He saw the strong muscles of Shiro’s back. The beautiful wings and sharp jaw. The large grin and powerful presence that demanded respect. He also saw Keith, who was beautiful in a mysterious and quiet way. Whose power lied in wait. In aggressive bursts of anger. Silently flying, and going in for the kill when no one expected it. Striking violet eyes and a smirk that was going to give Lance a heart attack. And he also saw Shiro and Keith. Happy. Perfect. No space between them. No need for a useless third wheel. Even the little gestures, touches, and smiles that they shared with him and brought a little hope to his fantasies were squashed quickly. He didn’t deserve it. Didn’t want it. They deserved better than him.

That didn’t mean Lance didn’t love them, and wouldn’t still love them. He’d just express his love in a platonic way. He wouldn’t ruin what they had together. It was too beautiful. Lance had no desire to ruin it. But whoever said you could never love anyone if you hated yourself is wrong. So wrong. Because Lance loved them so much that he almost forgot what hating himself felt like.

Until, there was a planet with a mission that was so unlike any other planet.

It looked like his home.

The breeze was salty as they landed on the sand of the ground. Dust kicking up and almost getting in their eyes. But Lance didn’t mind. His eyes were else were, on the horizon with a blindingly shining sea. Blue and light dancing in the waves of the ocean on the planet.

It looked like Vernado beach.

Memories of the water surfaced in his mind. His mother scolding his siblings to be careful with their wings. Water could soak them and drown them if they weren’t careful. The ocean was kind, but merciless when given the chance. Which is why Lance had learned how to swim while most avoided the ocean like the plague. Lance didn’t mind though, that meant the ocean and its beautiful depths full of fish and life were his little secret. Though swimming with wings was rather difficult.

One good thing about losing his wings, swimming would most definitely be easier.

That was rather bittersweet.

However in came in handy as the mission went so so wrong. So fast too. One minute it had been him and Keith surveying the land and looking for the distress signal. The next minute, Lance was on his knees, hand bound behind his back with Galran soldiers watching his every mood as Keith dealt with the commander, kicking up an angry storm. Lance had the passing thought that maybe Keith was trying to take the attention off of Lance, he was the weakest link after all. There were so many cruel things you could do to a wingless.

An even crueler thing you could do to a winged however.

Luckily, fate was smiling down on them. None of the officers seemed to even have an inkling of that thought process like his commander once had. Instead Lance became frantic for a different reason. Seeing as Keith grew up in a desert and knew practically nothing of the water, and was currently dangling over the edge of an ocean’s outlet. 

Not threatening, going, to drop him. The commander sneered.

“Let’s see how useful you paladins are. Can you and your stupid righteousness save your friend from drowning? We’ll see.” And Keith was dropped, letting out a small cry until his head was swallowed up by the water and he was out of sight. Lance felt his captors let go of him and it was like he was on autopilot as he darted to the water’s edge and threw himself in.

They expected him to drown. But Lance would not die to the ocean that he loved. The ocean would not kill him. The currents gushed around Lance, like the familiar gusts of air that Lance had loved so much. His eyes were open and wide in the dark water. Flashes of colorful fish and bubbles were all around him, but Lance didn’t stop to appreciate them as he kicked his legs, reaching down to a familiar figure with pale skin and dark hair. Wrapping an arm underneath his shoulders and holding him tight as Lance changed direction. The current helping push him upwards until he broke the surface with a gasp. Hauling Keith onto the ground. Unconscious, but luckily breathing. And breathing just fine. He hadn’t been under the water for too long.

Lance was happy, but the general, was not.

The first thing that happened as Lance kneeled on the ground to catch his breath was a fist, swatting against his face and smashing his body onto the rocky ground of the shore. Lance wheezed as a boot crashed into his ribs. Words of abuse flowing like a river from the angered Galran generals lips. Each one marking another hit, another beating.

Lance simply smiled. The general had no idea just how used to this he was. He was not afraid of a beating. He was simply happy. Happy that Keith was alive. Getting the shit beaten out of him by angry hands was nothing compared to the sheer joy of that. It wasn’t like it hadn’t happened thousands of times before. Lance was flipped to his back, a rough, bruising and rib break boot, staking a ground onto his chest. Causing a wheeze to leave Lance. The general growled.

“Are you ready for the really punishment to begin peasant?” Lance coughed, blood flaking out of his mouth as his head spun and he looked the general in the eye, a half mouthed and cheeky smirk lighting up his face.

“Give me your worse -puta-.” The Galra gave a cruel smile as he reached back and pulled a baton, similar to a cattle prodder on earth, out of his pocket. Electricity crackled on its metal surface as the Galran flipped and switch and held it in his tight grip. Grinning madly as he jabbed in forward without warning. Thrusting into harshly into the soft side of Lance’s body, Lance felt it immediately. The rushing of the current, the burning and tingling pain. Like his whole body was being burned alive as it convulsed, Lance becoming mute for the first few seconds in shock as he choked and spasmed. Until he screamed. Loud. The first sound of pain he probably made since he broke the surface of the ocean.

Suddenly the pain stopped, and Lance heard a loud enraged battle cry and a scream of pain. Not his own. His eyes blurrily taking in the sight of a pair of wings. Large black and white wings flared out and puffed up in anger and shielding him. Lance gave a blissful sigh, Shiro, he was strong, he would keep Lance safe. And Lance tumbled off into a dark abyss of unconsciousness. Not hearing the yelling telling him to stay awake.

—

It was like the tides of the ocean, Lance was coming in and out of consciousness, not coherent. But a little bit of understanding. Not comprehending. But knowing enough that he was safe.

“Shiro! Help me get him up! Lance! Lance! Stay with me! Come on! Shiro!”

Lance was out with the tide again before he could be lifted in large strong arms.

—

“We can’t put him in the pod.”

“What the hell do you mean we can’t help him?!”

“Keith, calm down please.” A soft hand through his hair.

“The injuries aren’t internal; the pod won’t heal them. He needs rest and liquids. Someone needs to keep an eye on him as well, make sure the painkillers don’t wear off.”

“But what abou-“ And Lance was off again.

—

It seemed like it took forever, but eventually Lance was able to bring himself back to reality completely. The tides dropping him on the shore of reality as he was able to weakly peel his eyes open. Registering first the way his jaw was throbbing and the pulsing of his heart beat in his ribs. However breath hurt and there was a burning and tingling numbness in his limbs. The effects of being electrocuted that Lance knew well. Where had he been?

Oh, the beach, saving Keith, Shiro protecting him. Shiro! Keith! Lance looked up blearily in worry, before seeing Shiro on his one side, cradling Lance’s left side securely. Another looked showed Keith resting at his side, wings splayed out above and beneath Lance, swaddling Lance in warmth as Keith himself was curled on Lance’s arm. Head resting gently on his shoulder. Lance sighed in relief, flinching as the breath caused a stab of pain. That caused Keith to also stir, violet eyes blinking with a dazed look until they processed the ocean colored eyes staring at him. Immediately Keith was up. Throwing all abandon or reason out the window as he grabbed Lance’s jaw and immediately his lips were all over the tan boys face. Kissing the bruisies on his face gently, his eyes lids that had slipped closed, the corners of his mouth, every inch of skin that Keith could reach got a kiss between each of Keith’s words.

“Thank god, thank you, but how fucking dare you! I was so fucking worried. Why the fuck did you have to be the hero?! I don’t know what I would fucking do if you got hurt you fucking asshole! How dare you, how dare you, how dare you! God. I’m just so happy you’re alright.” Lance stayed quiet and pliant during the entire rant. He understood the need to vent. Keith was probably stressed and tense, but he flushed red as Keith started kissing him. And in front of his boyfriend. Lance’s mind short circuited.

“W-w-what are you? Why? But. Shiro? Keith? What are you doing? K-Keith!” Lance looked desperately as Shiro, turning his face towards the man that Keith should be kissing as Keith paid no mind and only kissed the expanse of skin that Lance had unknowingly exposed. Causing Lance to shudder. The shudder turning to ice water in his veins as he met Shiro’s eyes, seeing him awake and watching the scene with a calm smile as Lance immediately started stuttering and blushing, giving apologies and trying to gently push Keith off (Keith was not having it and was going to kiss Lance whether he fucking liked it out not, and based on the blush, stutters, and whole-body shivers he was pulling out of the man. Lance was liking it a whole lot more than he’d admit to. And with how weakly and hesitant Lance’s tries at pushing Keith off were. Both Shiro and Keith could easily see Lance was struggling between arguing and just letting Keith lavish him in attention.)

Lance still struggled, until Shiro scooted closer, bundling Lance up tighter to his chest and nuzzling his hair, sucking kisses into the crown of his head and making Lance short circuit in confusion and pleasure. Making Lance dazed enough to kiss back Lance as Keith forcefully pressed his lips against Lance to coax him into kissing Keith back. Before Lance pulled away. Face red up to his ears and down to his collar bones as he was disorientated by his confusion and slight happiness. Staying put and no longer struggling in their hold due to pain, exhaustion, and lack of will power to want to pull away. Shiro hummed into his hair.

“I’m sorry about Keith’s blunt and straight forwardness. He has a bit of a hard time controlling himself around our crush. Especially when he’s worried he has a hard time reigning his instincts in.” Lance took the explanation and relaxed. Until the blush came back full force.

Crush? Shiro gave a small smile to his confused and desperate expression, pressing a soothing kiss to Lance’s temple and making his body relax and go slack against him and Keith the human octopus as Keith’s limbs practically wrapped around Lance.

“Me and Keith are open, and if you are okay with it. We want you.” Lance gapped, mouth moving silently as he failed to process his words.

“B-but, you guys are perfect! W-why? W-when?” Keith’s lips on junction of Lance’s shoulder and neck made Lance turn basically into the blue screen on a computer. Mind shutting down at Keith’s soft and chapped lips against his sweet spot. Causing shudders to run down his spine and make Lance feel like he was soaring.

“Lance, baby, just relax. I know you want us too. Please? Let us love you? Don’t strain yourself or your pretty little head. We love you and we want you. Do you want us too?” Lance relaxed, his lips twitching in a frown, a smile, and a reply all at once. Until he finally managed to softly nod. Reveling in the large grins from both the males beside him and the gentle way both of them were layering him in kisses. Pressing butterfly touches to all the bruises and lacerations on his body cautiously. Lance gave a smile and closed his eyes as he completely allowed himself to be held by them.

Maybe. He was worth something.

Maybe, just maybe.

He was worthy of this.


End file.
